Why Buyers Need a Real Estate Professional

Many buyers weigh the options of whether or not to use a Realtor®.  Some buyers choose to take on the daunting task of purchasing a home on their own, hoping to save money.  Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments a consumers will experience in their lifetime.   With the potential hidden costs and significant downside risks of purchasing real estate, it is sensible to obtain the professional assistance of a Realtor®.  A Realtor® will assist buyers with their pricing, home search, evaluation, negotiation, and closing process.

• Real estate professionals help buyers determine their buying power.  This includes your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity.  Realtors gather information on your savings, income, and current debt to calculate what is affordable to you.  It is recommended to consider all loan options when buying a home.  Using a Realtor® together with your mortgage broker will help you understand the different financing options available to you.

• Realtors assist buyers in their home search.  When properties are not actively advertised, an agent can investigate to find the property that best meets the buyer’s needs.  They can develop a list of residences in the area of interest to view on the web that includes many aspects of the community, including schools, taxes, and the general overall condition of the real estate before managing an in-person tour.

• A real estate professional provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property, which could include assistance with inspections for items such as termites, dry rot, asbestos, roof conditions, and more.  Realtors can help you find qualified professionals to do most of these investigations.  They will review the written reports generated by inspections and assist you with any follow-up required as a result of the findings by the inspectors.  They can also review title search commitments to make sure the property is clearly owned by the seller, resolving any issues that might cause problems at a later date.

• A Realtor® also helps buyers negotiate factors such as price, financing terms, date of possession, and the inclusion/exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment.  They will create a purchase agreement that provides a period of time to complete the appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before the buyer is bound to complete the purchase.  They will provide comparables of recent sales to assure the buyer is not overpaying for the property.

• Realtors also provide guidance through the closing process and make sure everything flows smoothly.  Between the initial sales agreement and the closing agreement, questions may arise.  Unexpected repairs are sometimes required to obtain financing, or a concern with the title could potentially be uncovered.  Your real estate professional is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to settlement.  A professional real estate agent can make sure any unforeseen issues are handled reliable and quickly, so closing will happen efficiently, without unexpected delays.